24 Killer Bodyweight Moves for Your Butt

News flash: Your glutes exist for better reasons than just looking good in jeans. This major muscle group (made up of your gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus) is a key player in explosive movements like jumping and sprinting.

A strong butt can also help relieve low back pain and make everyday movements — like standing and climbing stairs — that much easier.

To get the most out of those glutes, strengthen them with these bodyweight exercises, courtesy of Brynn Putnam, certified trainer and founder of Refine Method.

You won’t need any equipment, though a few moves require a step or a sturdy chair. For some moves, you can up the intensity by holding medium-weight kettlebells or dumbbells in each hand.

At the bottom, we’ve got a bodyweight workout for you with five simple moves to strengthen your butt in less than 20 minutes.

2. Bottoms-up lunge

Perform a hip drive. Bring left foot forward so you’re kneeling on your right knee. Push into your left heel and engage glutes to stand, bringing right knee up. As you stand, try not to push off the floor. Instead, engage hamstrings and glutes to lift. Return to starting position.

3. Hip thrust

Lie faceup with knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Place hands on the floor directly under your shoulders, fingers facing away from your body. Squeeze glutes and lift hips into a tabletop position.

5. Side skaters

Stand with feet together and crouch down by pushing hips back, keeping back flat and abs engaged. Jump as far as you can to the right, landing lightly on the ball of your right foot. Now jump as far as you can to the left, engaging glutes to push off. Land lightly on left foot.

Repeat, swinging your opposite arm forward like a speed skater.

Make it easier: Take big steps from side to side.

6. Marching hip lift

Lie faceup with knees bent, feet on the floor, and abs engaged. Lift your hips as you squeeze your glutes (as in No. 4). Raise right foot a few inches off the floor and straighten right leg. Try not to let your hips twist.

Lower right foot to the floor as you pick up left foot. Repeat the “march” on the other side, focusing on squeezing glutes throughout.

7. Chair squat jump

You’ll need a chair or bench for this move. Sit on a chair with your back straight and feet hip-width apart. Using your glutes, jump straight up, making sure both feet come off the floor. Land lightly and slowly squat to sit on the chair.

8. Diagonal squat

Stand with your feet wider than hip width, arms at your sides. Step right foot back on a diagonal, send hips back, and bend right knee. Your left leg will be straight with foot flexed. Keep your chest up and abs engaged. Return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.

9. Hip thrust single-arm reach

Sit on the floor, knees bent, feet hip-width apart. Place hands on the floor directly under your shoulders, fingers facing away from your body. Squeeze glutes to lift hips into a tabletop position and hold.

Reach right arm on a high diagonal across your body, keeping hips straight (no twisting). Lower hips and hand to the floor. Repeat on the other side.

11. Side lunge shift

Step your right foot to the side, send your hips back, and bend your right knee to lower into a side lunge. Staying low, shift to the other side, so left knee is bent and right leg is straight. Push off left heel to stand. Repeat, starting with your left foot stepping sideways.

Make it easier: Do not step. Keep your feet wide and shift from side to side, sending hips back to engage glutes.

12. Walking lunge

Step forward with your right foot. Use glutes, hamstrings, and core to lower into a lunge. Lift left foot and step forward, immediately dropping into a lunge on the other side. Continue to “walk” forward.

13. Single-leg hip lift

Lie faceup with knees bent, arms comfortably at your sides, and feet shoulder-width apart. Use both arms to hug left knee to your chest. Push up, engaging right glute and core, to lift hips off the floor.

Hold for a count of 5. Lower down and switch sides (so right knee is hugged. Lift again, this time engaging left glute.

16. Single leg sit-to-stand

You’ll need a chair or bench for this move. Sit on the edge of the chair with back straight, left leg straight out in front of you, and right leg bent with foot on the floor. Using only your right glute and right leg, push up and rise to a standing position.

You can leave your flexed left foot lightly touching the floor for balance, but don’t put any weight on it. Push hips back to slowly sit down. Repeat on the other side.

Make it harder: Keep your left foot lifted a few inches off the floor the entire time.

17. Crossover lunge

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and lift your left foot, stepping backward and to the right to cross behind right foot. From this crossed position, perform a lunge, engaging glutes, abs, and hamstrings to lower. Push off with your left foot to stand. Repeat on the other side.

23. Rear-foot-elevated split squat

Place left foot on a low bench or step behind you. Stay near the bench so your left leg is not stretching or locked. Send your hips back and bend your right knee to lower into a lunge. Using your right glute, push up and straighten right leg to complete the rep.

24. Single-leg squat reach across

Stand on your left leg with right foot a few inches off the floor, arms at your sides. You do not need to lift your left knee high. This should be a relaxed, balanced position.

Send hips back, bend your left knee, and lower into a squat. As you lower, reach your right arm across your body, toward the outside of your left foot. Get as low as you can — try to touch the floor. Return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.